Steve Mizerak
Encyclopedia
Steve Mizerak nicknamed "the Miz", was a world champion pool
player dominant during the 1970s and early 1980s in the game of 14.1 continuous
.
Mizerak began playing pool under the guidance of his father, who for many years had been the New Jersey
State Champion. At the age of 13, he won the Perth Amboy City Championship and turned professional. The next year, he was refused entry into that event; they said he was too good. The 1960s saw a downturn for the so-called "world pool tournaments", and as they diminished, the era of the Johnston City Hustlers tournaments were growing. By this point in his life, Mizerak decided it would not be possible to earn a living playing and went on to attend college.
He earned a teaching degree and taught school for thirteen years before he became famous outside of pool after appearing in a humorous commercial for Miller Lite
beer in which he executed a complicated shot (which took more than 100 "takes"), then proclaimed that you can "really work up a thirst, even when you're just showing off," and later as an actor in the 1986 film The Color of Money
.
He played in a series of snooker
and pool challenge matches in 1987 and 1988 in which he beat Steve Davis
and Jimmy White
, with Davis being a World Snooker Champion.
He owned and operated pool halls in the West Palm Beach
-Lake Park, Florida
area during the 1990s and 2000s. He founded the Senior Tour in 1996 for players 50 years of age and older and often hosted Senior Tour events at his pool hall in Lake Park.
Mizerak suffered a stroke
in 2001 which left him with physical challenges that prevented him from playing pool competitively. He was inducted into the BCA
Hall of Fame
in 1980.
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
player dominant during the 1970s and early 1980s in the game of 14.1 continuous
Straight Pool
Straight pool, also called 14.1 continuous or simply 14.1, is a pocket billiards game, and was the common sport of championship competition until overtaken by faster-playing games like nine-ball...
.
Mizerak began playing pool under the guidance of his father, who for many years had been the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
State Champion. At the age of 13, he won the Perth Amboy City Championship and turned professional. The next year, he was refused entry into that event; they said he was too good. The 1960s saw a downturn for the so-called "world pool tournaments", and as they diminished, the era of the Johnston City Hustlers tournaments were growing. By this point in his life, Mizerak decided it would not be possible to earn a living playing and went on to attend college.
He earned a teaching degree and taught school for thirteen years before he became famous outside of pool after appearing in a humorous commercial for Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
beer in which he executed a complicated shot (which took more than 100 "takes"), then proclaimed that you can "really work up a thirst, even when you're just showing off," and later as an actor in the 1986 film The Color of Money
The Color of Money
The Color of Money is a 1986 film directed by Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Richard Price, based on the 1984 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis....
.
He played in a series of snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
and pool challenge matches in 1987 and 1988 in which he beat Steve Davis
Steve Davis
Steve Davis, OBE is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s, when he was the world number one for seven years and became the sport's first millionaire...
and Jimmy White
Jimmy White
James Warren "Jimmy" White MBE is an English professional snooker player. Nicknamed the "Whirlwind" and popularly referred to as the "People's Champion", White is a multiple World Championship finalist renowned for losing each of the six finals he contested.White's extensive list of achievements,...
, with Davis being a World Snooker Champion.
He owned and operated pool halls in the West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
-Lake Park, Florida
Lake Park, Florida
Lake Park is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,721 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 9,080.-Geography:Lake Park is located at ....
area during the 1990s and 2000s. He founded the Senior Tour in 1996 for players 50 years of age and older and often hosted Senior Tour events at his pool hall in Lake Park.
Mizerak suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 2001 which left him with physical challenges that prevented him from playing pool competitively. He was inducted into the BCA
Billiard Congress of America
Billiard Congress of America is a governing body for cue sports in North America , the regional member organization of the World Pool-Billiard Association...
Hall of Fame
Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame
This is the list of people inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's hall of fame. Many of these were inducted based on their excellence as world-class players , while others were inducted for their contributions to the game or the billiards industry .The year of induction is listed after...
in 1980.
Death
He died on the 29th May 2006 at the age of 61. He is survived by his wife Karen, two sons, and two grandchildren.Career titles
- 1970 Star Dust Open, Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
- 1970 US Open 14.1 Pocket Billiards Championship (d. Luther LassiterLuther LassiterLuther Lassiter , born Luther Clement Lassiter, Jr. and nicknamed Wimpy, was a world-renowned American pool player from Elizabeth City, North Carolina...
) - 1971 US Open 14.1 Pocket Billiards Championship (d. Joe Balsis)
- 1972 US Open 14.1 Pocket Billiards Championship (d. Danny DeLiberto)
- 1973 US Open 14.1 Pocket Billiards Championship (d. Luther Lassiter)
- 1974 US Master's, Arlington, Virginia
- 1976 US Master's, Arlington, Virginia
- 1976 World Open, Asbury Park, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
- 1977 World Series of Pool Asbury Park, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
- 1978 World Open, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... - 1978 US Open Nine-ball Championship
- 1978 Trick and Tough Shot Championship, Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
- 1980 Breaker Pool 14.1 Challenge Cup, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- 1982 PPPA World Pocket Billiard Championship (14.1)
- 1983 PPPA World Pocket Billiard Championship (14.1)
- 1988 PBA U.S. Open 14.1
- 1997 Grand Casino Biloxi Classic